Moving a good idea?

[Kickflipkid687]

Hi,

I have seen some other threads about what to do when moving or what to consider. But that really isn't my issue right now. My problem is weather I should move somewhere out of state or not after I graduate. I would like to work at a few differen't places in the Seattle area but am not sure if it's wise to move out there without having a job first. I live in Minnesota, so it's a long ways from home.

But I feel like if I stay here after graduation ( 4 weeks I'm done) there would be no reason to stay here besides family and some friends. I have been talking to a couple guys from college about moving out there shortly after college is done, but nothing has been solidified yet. I'm just really wondering if moving out there would really benefit me in getting jobs a little easier because I'm already on location? I feel like I am getting too old to be at home now (almost 22) and need to get out of the house and experience new things. But with the economy going the way it is, and if I don't have a job setup right away, I'm not sure how well that would work out. My uncle is a pilot and could fly me there for free or next to nothing, and my step mom's mom said she has relatives out there I guess, so :S.


Thanks alot for any replies or comments,

Matt

[TryForce]

visit the place first befor you move.

I'm all for moving from my point of living, but i would still check the Area first.

And for you to beeing "to old" is completly normal i think. My Brother moved out when he was 21, now he's 23 and he completly enjoy's beeing on his own, eventhough he visits us each Weekend. If you got Relatives somewhere , sure try to meet them again, stay for 1 week if possible at their home and move out to a living near em so you always would have someone near to reach.

good luck!

Edit: HEy i looked over your Portofolio! Great stuff! I remember some animations back then from you :D nice improvments!

[Mike_K]

Might be better to find a job first then move to locate to it. Would suck if you moved then got a job and had to move again ^^

[Mtg_kirin]

also wont many places help u with moving if they higher u?

[Kickflipkid687]

well some places help with relocation, but it depends. I could maybe move in with a relative like you said though to get an idea for the area and look around. Thanks for the comment triforce.

As to what Mike_K said, I agree with you and getting a job first. That's my first choice, but if I didn't get a industry job, I was thinking of moving there and getting a regular job and just working on my skills in the meantime... but that's kind of the dilema too.

I just feel I need to move out because sitting at home won't do me much good. Also my younger sister is moving out and my older brother already has, so I hate that kid feeling or feeling like I need to depend on my parents.

[SuperOstrich]

I'd suggest looking for a job first and not limiting yourself to any particular city/area for your first job. Get the job, then move.

[Kickflipkid687]

Ya, that's what I was kind of thinking about too. Well I applied at Bungie and did an art test very recently, and will be applying at 20+ places this weekend I think, so we will see what happens. I feel I need to try and get some more env. props done too to make my portfolio bigger :\.

[Parnell]

Nice work!
One quick thing about your site...I'm running Firefox and when I clicked to view your work I could not close the pop-ups of your art after viewing them. It got a bit annoying. If there is a close button on the pop-up make sure it is in the top right corner.

As for moving...start applying out of state before you move. Although you might think it'll be faster for you to find work being closer to the action. It might not work in your favor, as moving (packing/unpacking finding a place, signing a lease. First/Last + Deposit, etc) takes quite a bit of time...time you could better spend beefing up your portfolio which in turn will make you more valuable and thus make more $$$$.
Thanks!
B

[BoBo_the_seal]

Ultimately, do what you really want to do. My suggestion, as long as your parents aren't putting the pressure on you to move out, talk to them about letting you concentrate on your portfolio for a few months. Really concentrate on it. Treat it like a job and put in a solid work day each day. You have the basics of a good portfolio. The work there is solid and shows that you know your craft. Now work on what I like to call a "defining piece". You need something in your portfolio that will make you stand out from all of the other guys fresh out of school. You’ve shown you can do real world (which is great in a standard portfolio) now show your range. My suggestion would be something fantasy or sci-fi. If you can’t come up with something on your own, look for a concept online or hook up with a concept artist. This month’s mini-challenge would be a good start point. Once you have that defining piece done (again that is all I feel you’re missing) contact companies again. Don’t limit yourself to a location first time out. Once you get experience, then you can start specifying location a bit more. Get the job first and let the company relocate you. Good luck. I think your almost there.

- BoBo

[Parnell]

Ultimately, do what you really want to do. My suggestion, as long as your parents aren't putting the pressure on you to move out, talk to them about letting you concentrate on your portfolio for a few months. Really concentrate on it. Treat it like a job and put in a solid work day each day. You have the basics of a good portfolio. The work there is solid and shows that you know your craft. Now work on what I like to call a "defining piece". You need something in your portfolio that will make you stand out from all of the other guys fresh out of school. You’ve shown you can do real world (which is great in a standard portfolio) now show your range. My suggestion would be something fantasy or sci-fi. If you can’t come up with something on your own, look for a concept online or hook up with a concept artist. This month’s mini-challenge would be a good start point. Once you have that defining piece done (again that is all I feel you’re missing) contact companies again. Don’t limit yourself to a location first time out. Once you get experience, then you can start specifying location a bit more. Get the job first and let the company relocate you. Good luck. I think your almost there.

- BoBo

Couldn't have put it better.

Bobo basically described what I did before I got my industry job. I shacked up with my parents took some job to pay the bills initially (which i recommend doing as it'll make you focus your time better, i also swore off MMO's or any hardcore game). Then got a job at Nintendo gametesting, then at a company modeling stadiums for ticket sales. Then I moved out from Seattle to Boston to work at Iron Lore. That all happened within a year. I'd say my Beast/Rider competition piece got me noticed by a bunch of companies, but the one that peaked ILE's attention was a cgtalk competition in which I redesigned a classic video game character. So ya, now that you have a couple standard pieces start making a name for yourself on the boards, network, give critiques etc. It all helps in landing that first job.
B

[blankslatejoe]

I did the same thing too...I took a few months after school to actually make a few pieces that got me on the radar with game companies. Mythic sponsored a 'fantasy race' contest, and then ILE sponsored a 'Mythical Creature' race--That was the contest that ultimately got me my first gig.

I also changed my sleep schedule to be as poorly matched with my friends as possible. I would get up at 5pm, right about when my pals would get off work, and sometimes then hang out for an hour or two, but they'd have to crash before long..so that's when I'd get to work. No one was awake from the hours of 12 midnight till 6-7 in the morning, nothing was on TV, and no stores/food places were open. I really forced myself to work. My vampire lifestyle paid off though, and after a couple months I was getting inquiries and art tests and interviews...I probably couldn't pull that lifestyle off very well now, but being at the right-out-of-college age, it was pretty easy :)

[Kickflipkid687]

Wow, thanks for all the replies :D. Ya, I was thinking about working on some pieces after school if I can't land a any gigs. I want to make some more environmental pieces, but I am also doing modeling right now for an internship too and working and in school yet. But I will be graduating in less than 4 weeks now : \.

But about the Bungie test, I was talking to a recruiter in the first place that works for them that contacted me randomly about the job. I did the art test and he called me today and said it was looking better than alot of them he has gotten. He said he will submit my stuff and should find out within a day or so if they want an interview. Then if the interview goes well they will hire me based on that interview (phone). So then I would be moving out to the Seattle area the week after I graduate.

But I don't want to get too excited or anything just yet, since I'm thinking it could be a letdown, but who knows. But I will see if anything happens with that, and if so awesome, otherwise I will bust my ass to make alot of things for my portfolio and send out some applications.


Edit: ModelingMan, I just tested in Firefox and it works fine. All you do is left click on the image itself after its opened to close it again.